Harry Potter and the Disappearance of Ron
by Dumbledore-still-lives-on
Summary: What happens when Ron forces Hermione to chose between him and Harry? Warnings: Dark Ron! Ron bashing! Don't like it, don't read it!
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Got sick of the other story. Had no idea what to do with the plot, it was just getting too annoying. I'll get back to it eventually, but right now, I think I'm going to work on this. So to that one guy who Author Alerted me, try reading this, you might like it! It's too bad – I only have an idea for the first chapter, and I have no idea where to go from here, but this idea has been bouncing around in my head for way too long, I had to get it out.**_

_**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, Harry Potter, and all other characters and settings, are JK Rowling's playthings. I'm just borrowing them for a while. **_

Ron burst out of the tent, and strode off a few feet towards the woods before coming to a sudden stop. He spun around, back to the tent and yelled at them "You'll regret this, Hermione!" and then disapperated.

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It had all started about a week ago. Ron had been out gathering food, looking (futilely) for edible mushrooms, mumbling about how unfair it was that he was out in the cold, while Harry and Hermione were all cozy in the tent. "Stupid Harry…." He grumbled.

* * *

Back in the tent, Harry and Hermione had decided to go out for a walk, for a nice breath of fresh air. They were strolling down a trail they had found earlier that day, when there was a sudden CRACK, and Harry saw a dark shape falling towards Hermione. Harry dove and pushed her to the ground, not a second too late. An instant later, a huge oak tree, must've been three feet around, fell right where Hermione had been standing. "Harry!" she said, breathlessly "you saved my life!"

* * *

Since then, Hermione had been looking at Harry in a new light. She noticed how his muscles rippled when he picked something up, how his eyes so often flickered to look at her. She noticed the kindness in his voice, and the care he took in everything he did. Slowly, she was falling for him, and Ron could see it.

* * *

A week later, Ron delivered Hermione an ultimatum. "Hermione. You've got to choose" he told her one night, after a fit of anger at her and Harry sitting in the same chair, apparently too close. "You know I fancy you. You know Harry fancies you. You can't keep stringing me on like this! You've got to choose! It's me, or Harry!" "Alright" she replied, calmly. "Harry. I pick Harry."

And Ron strode out of the tent. That was the last Harry and Hermione saw of Ron…for a while

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_**A/N: Heh, like all my writing, this is way too short. I'll get better, I guess! This is just to set it up, though. I'll make the next ones longer, and better. As you can tell, I'm into Harry/Hermione!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: To **__**TsukiyoTenshi, thank you for the brilliant idea for this story! I love it! I have no idea what I'm going to do as I start to write right now, I'm just going to see what I come up with…which probably isn't a good plan, but ah well, I guess! Just looked back at the first chapter – it was weird!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, Ron would have died a very long time ago.**_

"Thank you, Hermione." Harry whispered in her ear, just after Ron had had his little fit.

"Whatever for, Harry?"

"For choosing me over Ron, of course!"

"It wasn't much of a choice. Ron was an oaf. Half of the time I would swear he only hung around us to get the answers to the homework. To tell the truth, I'm glad to be shot of him"

"So am I…."

***

Deep underneath the Malfoy Manor, Ron had appeared in front of the Dark Lord. It had been but a few hours since he had stormed out of the tent, away from Harry and Hermione, and he had made a life changing decision. He had the Horcrux. He knew where Harry and Hermione where. Why shouldn't he go to Voldemort?

Now, Ron was just feeling a little queasy. He was nervous to meet the man he had heard so much of, the man who had murdered so many.

He stood in a dark room, in the cellar underneath the main house. There was a long table that Ron sat on one end of, Voldemort on the other, sitting in a throne made of human bones.

"Rise, blood-traitor" Voldemort's voice hissed from the throne. "Tell me, why do you appear before the Dark Lord?"

"I wish t- to join you, Lord. I hate Potter, and everything he stands for."

"Why should I believe you? Why should I not kill you where you stand?" his snakelike voice rasped.

"I have proof! I have brought you valuable information on Potter! And I have a Horcrux!"

"You have what, boy?" Voldemort screamed, nostrils flared and a red flash in his eyes.

"Your Horcrux! I have it right here!" he pulled the small locket out of his pocket (_**no rhyme intended**_) and offered it to the man. If he could be called a man.

"Give it here! And if you speak of these to _anyone_ , I will murder you on the spot, boy" he said, snatching the locket out of Ron's hand. "What else do you have for me?"

"I can tell you where they are, right now! They are camping in the Forest of Dean!"

"Very well, Ronald. You have proven yourself worthy of the Mark. I shall see to it that you are rewarded for your loyalty to me." He promised the red-head, concealing his excitement.

***

Not an hour later, Harry and Hermione heard voices outside the tent.

"Come out, boy! Come face your death!" hissed Voldemort, his voice seemingly coming from all corners of the room.

"Come see what your "friend" has done! I have the locket!"

Harry was horrified. How could Ron do such a thing? How could he endanger the whole Wizarding world like this? He thought he had known Ron. Apparently he was wrong.

***

_**A/N: Well, how do you like? Hopefully it's good? I feel like it's better than the last chapter, by far. I have no clue how Harry and Hermione are getting out of this. If anyone has any ideas, please feel free to let me know! Review, guys!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Love the reviews! Keep it up! Heh – again, I start writing with absolutely no idea where the story shall go…..it seemed to work out pretty well for me before, though. Wish me luck!**_

_**P.S – I've decided this is after they visited Godric's Hollow the first time, only changes being they killed the snake, and Harry's wand wasn't snapped in two. One Horcrux down, then!**_

_**Disclaimer: No. I don't own it. Stop asking.**_

***

"Harry!" Hermione hissed at him. "We have to leave, now! They're everywhere!"

"No. I think I'll have a word with our dear friend Ronald." He said, striding out of the tent, leaving Hermione standing in shock.

The view outside was a frightening one. The tent was surrounded, by every Death Eater the Dark Lord could summon.

"No one curse him! He's mine!" came the voice of Voldemort, although from where, Harry couldn't tell.

Harry raised his arms, feigning defeat. He was about to act when he felt a presence near him, Hermione was holding onto his side.

"You're not going anywhere without me, Harry" she hissed in his ear.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Harry looked towards his former friend. "How could you do this? We were mates, Ron! Best mates! What will your family do?"

"Who are you kidding, Harry? My family doesn't want me!" he yelled, raising his wand.

"You betrayed me! You betrayed _Dumbledore!_" Harry screamed at him.

Acting quickly, Harry reached down, and pulled his wand out of his pocket, aiming it straight at Ron's chest. The rest of the Death Eaters just watched, they had been ordered to do nothing, this was Ron's mission.

"Yeah, did you ever think about this? Dumbledore betrayed us! He knew we would die! He didn't care!"

"No one insults Dumbledore, Ron. Not even you. _Sectumsempra!_" Harry screamed at him, ducking down and pulling Hermione with him to avoid Ron's retaliation, before spinning on the spot and disapperating, narrowly missing the hundreds of Stunning spells that had been simultaneously sent at him.

***

"You _fool!" _screamed Voldemort, in a fit of rage. "How could you _possibly_ let him ESCAPE? He was _surrounded!_ You, Ron, are an idiot! _CRUCIO!"_

Ron writhed on the ground, so much pain filling him there wasn't a single thought in his head, only pain.

"Of course, since when has there ever been a thought in his head" snickered Voldemort, dismissing Ron to his temporary bed below the cavern.

***

"That was so close, Harry! Where are we?" Hermione asked him, concern in her voice.

"Godric's Hollow" We'll put up a Fidelius charm. Keep Voldemort out until we can come up with a plan to get the Horcrux back."

"But, Harry, He'll know where we are! It'll be just like it was at Grimmauld place!"

"No. He won't think we're stupid enough to go someplace so predictable. Hurry, He'll have people searching the whole country in a few minutes."

Harry and Hermione rushed down the little street, past the statue of Harry and his parents, into his old house. The house Voldemort had first been defeated in.

"You can do a Fidelius charm, can't you, Hermione?"

"I think I can….it might be a little hard, though. _Fidelio!"_ she exclaimed, waving her wand in a complex pattern towards the house. Nothing happened.

"Damn. One more try, then? _Fidelio!"_

The house glowed a brilliant blue colour, before fading from Harrys sight completely. "Hermione? Did you just banish my house?"

"No, of course not! Look, it's still there! Oh, it worked, didn't it? Brilliant! Here, Harry" she said, before whispering the address of the house into his ear. Harry blinked as the house faded back into view.

"Oh, good. That's much better. Let's go settle in, shall we?"

Harry and Hermione walked in through the front door. The downstairs of the house was ruined, scorch marks all over. Everything was burnt to a crisp."I'd like to stay away from the living room for a while, if that's alright with you, Hermione…just…because. Let's stick to the upstairs right now."

The upstairs had, magically, not been touched by the flames. They walked down a plain hall with yellow walls and wooden flooring, and took a left at the end, into a room with pale blue carpet , and flower wallpaper.

Harry conjured up two chairs and a table for them. "So. What are we going to do about this?" he said, sitting down.

"I don't know, Harry. I just don't know."

_**A/N: Haha! Managed to make it longer! Ehh…this chapter seemed weak to me. Oh well. I am, yet again, stuck for ideas and totally open to more suggestion! If it's good, I can almost guarantee that it'll be put in – that's how desperate I am. Review, guys!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N : Two reviews for two chapters? I'm so disappointed….oh well! Anyway – I'm going to do this one more chapter, and then I think I'll get back to writing for my other story for a while….probably not very long. I don't like it very much. Perhaps I'll kill them all in the next chapter, just to be done with it….ah, how I love being free to write what I want!**_

* * *

Harry and Hermione sat at the table, in silence, for a good ten minutes. Just thinking. "What are we going to do about them? I'm sure Voldemort will have people watching the house within the hour, if he doesn't already" She said, standing up and walking over to the window, peaking through the curtains as though hiding from someone. "Yep. There he is. Fenrir Greyback, sitting on the bench next to the statue. It's a good thing they charmed that against anyone with a Dark Mark, or I'm sure he'd have destroyed it by now. He must think we're here, otherwise he wouldn't send anyone so important. We've got to be careful."

"You're right. We should've gone somewhere else, but this is the first place I could think of. Now that that filthy traitor has taken the Mark, Grimmauld is out. For good. We should send an owl to the Burrow, and Shell Cottage too, to tell them to clear out until we take care of Ron. Send them all somewhere else."

Harry conjured three pieces of parchment, a quill, and some ink, and wrote two letters to Ron's family, explaining how that brainless, gutless oaf had deserted them all, and gone Dark, and one two Remus Lupin. He was careful not to reveal where they were, for fear of owls being intercepted, but he did include one hint that Remus just _might_ be able to figure out. They could use an extra hand, a little advice.

"So. What do we do now?"

"Now, Harry, we wait. Until something happens. Voldemort will relax his watch on the house. He'll move the Horcruxes, he'll do it himself. Tomorrow we'll send word to the Order and have them send someone to try to tail him. It might be a suicide mission, though. Maybe Remus will come and give us a little advice, soon."

"How are we going to send all these owls?"

"Tomorrow, we'll apparate to Hogsmede and send it. They have a post office, right? We'll use the Invisibility Cloak, and we'll be really careful."

"Alright. Sounds good. Thanks for everything, Hermione." Harry said, walking over to her by the window, and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Where are we going to sleep?"

"Harry, you're a wizard, remember? We can conjure a bed, no big deal. I think we'll have to wait until we get to Hogsmede to get some food, but once we have some we can replicate it, right?"

"Of course, Hermione. Thanks again."

* * *

"Yes, sir. Of course, sir." Snape drawled, kneeling before Voldemort's throne made of human bones. "What do you want me to do about the boy, Ron? He's below right now, do you want me to heal him, or shall we just let him die?"

"No, Snape. Heal him. The Dark Lord is feeling merciful today, and I still have a use for him. He could prove valuable in the months to come."

"Of course, my Lord"

* * *

_**A/N: So, what do you think? It seemed OK-ish to me. Review, please! I need some suggestions, too. I'm going to go work on my other story, now, but I think I'd like to bring it to an end soon. It's not very good. **_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys...so its been what, six months since I updated this story? (and 8 since I updated that other one?) I'd like to make excuses for that, but the truth is - I got lazy, which often happens to me! So here's one chapter - and I promise nothing as to more in the near future.**

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Harry laid on the opposite side of the bed as Hermione. Not so close as to be intimate - just two friends sharing comfort...although neither of them knew that the other wanted more.

They had been sleeping in the same bed for a while now - it provided them with a small measure of comfort in their chaotic world. Several awkward moments had arian from these new arrangements...such as the night Hermione had gotten hot in the night and slept in her underwear, causing Harry a very interesting time getting out of bed while keeping Hermione from seeing the tent forming in his pants, or the time when Harry had came out of the shower wearing only a towel, leaving Hermione to find a way to deal with the wet spot growing between her thighs by herself.

"Harry?" Hermione whispered, one night about a week and a half into their stay in Godrics Hollow.

"Yes, Hermione? Something on your mind?"

"What are we going to do? It's been great relaxing here for a while, but we can't spend forever here! " she told him, worried.

"I know we can't, Hermione...I've been thinking...I might have the beginnings of a plan."

"Tell me, boy, what else have those brats found out about my horcruxes?" Voldemort hissed at Ron, who was kneeling at the foot of his throne.

"They' ve destroyed one, my Lord...the ring. The black one with the crack in it. The rest, sir - they have no idea."

"Good, good" Voldemort purred. "There is no need to move the other horcruxes, then. They are still safe. This is good news."

"Now it is time for you to really prove your worth, boy! Lucius!" He motioned to the man at the door. "Take him to his new chambers. Explain his task to him, then see to it he gets sleep."

Ron was lead out of the room, glad he made it through a meeting with the Dark Lord without the curcio curse used once.

Lucius led him down to a small chamber, containing only a bed, a single wooden chest of drawers, and a desk. "Here is your room. Bathrooms are down the hall to your left."

"Now, boy, your assignment..."

So my keyboard just stopped making the little starr things, so...imagine them right here!

"You've got a plan, Harry?" Hermione sounded shocked.

"No need to sound surprised, Hermione, it does happen upon occasion...it's quite simple, really. We're going to break into Malfoy Manor!"

"But Harry...how?"

* * *

**A/N: That's it, it's official. My phone has replaced my laptop. I just typed this on my new Samsung Vibrant, with Thinkfree Office for android...and out it was fun**

**P.S: I love Red Vines. You know what my favorite way to say "red wine" in a german accent is? Red vine. Let me know if you just got that. And if you didn't...just consider me the biggest Harry Potter nerd in the world.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys...so I just realized that the star things I had been using weren't showing up when I put it online, so sorry for any confusion about that! I'm trying out a new strategy though.**

**P.S. This one's for my supermegafoxyawesomehot fans out there!**

**Harry's POV**

"Here's how we're going to do it. First, we're going to run some recon missions - you transd figure me into an inconspicuous bird, like a crow, and I'll look in the windows, try to find out where Voldemort is keeping the locket Horcrux. If I can't see the horcrux as a bird, I'll try going in as other animals."

"But, Harry, there must be a fidelius charm on malfoy manor, isn't there?" Hermione asked him.

"Yes, but we've just said the name twice! So somehow, it must' ve been broken! I don't know how, but it's a really lucky break for us, and we need to take advantage of it before someone realizes what's happened"

"Alright...but Harry? I want to go with you into Malfoy Manor." She pleaded

"You can't, Hermione...I've got to have someone who can hold a wand to transfigure me back into myself."

"Alright, Harry...we can take it in turns, then. You go the first day, and I'll go the second. We can trade off like that." She told him, very firmly.

"No, Hermione, it's too dangerous for you!" He told her, hand up in his own. "I can't risk losing you. Not after all we've been through."

"That's too bad, Harry. I'm not letting you take all the risks." She said to him in a fierce tone.

"Fine, Hermione...I should know better than to argue with you. Please be careful, through?"

"Yes, Harry, I'll be careful, as long as you do the same."

"I will. So. Once we find out where voldemort keeps the locket, we obviously can't just walk in there. Nor can we just sneak in underneath the Invisibility Cloak, they're sure to have some better security than that! So I thought whoever goes in to get the locket might go in as some sort of servant? Perhaps the Malfoys maid?"

"But Harry..." Hermione cut in "that only leaves for one person to go in! I'm not letting you go alone. It's too dangerous."

"I don't know how to get you in though, Hermione! It would be suspicious for two of their regular servants to go missing on the same day."

"Don't worry about that one, Harry! I can think of a way to get both of us in!"

"Alright...but in the meantime, can we get started with the first part of my plan? I want to get going. Every minute we waste is another minute those we care about are in danger."

"Yes, of course, Harry! The first part sounds brilliant! When shall we start?"

"Tomorrow." Harry told her determinedly.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey guys - I'm sorry about the seriously sad length of that last chapter - the app I was writing on just then broke down and wouldn't let me write another word. I knew I wouldn't have a computer for a while, so I just gave up and posted. And then after that, I was traveling! So here be another chapter!**

**

* * *

**

**Ron's POV**

"Yes, my lord, that sounds like a brilliant plan. I sall begin , sir." Ron said, giving a bow and turning to walk away.

He had learned early on in his Death-Eater-ship that he should be as respectful to the Dark Lord as possible, to avoid any unnecessary use of the cruciatus curse.

"I have to get out of here" he thought.

* * *

**Harry's POV**

"Hermione!" Harry yelled down the stairs. "Hermione, come quick!"

"What is it, Harry?" she asked, appearing breathlessly in the doorway. Harry couldn't help but notice how cute she looked when she was out of breath.

"What's wrong, Harry? I thought for sure Voldemort was torturing you, what with all the bellowing. At least a couple of Death Eaters."

"He's here, Hermione. Look outside." Harry told her grimly.

"What do you mean he's here, Harry?" she asked him, her joking face turning to one of fear.

"Who's he-" she stopped. Stared. Gaped through the window. "What is that red-haired bastard doing here?" she screamed.

* * *

**Ron's POV**

He had his story all worked out. He knew just what he was going to say to them to win his way back into their hearts. He would spin a tale of the deepest remorse and regret, and they would welcome him into Godrics Hollow with open arms.

He stood outside the house in Godrics Hollow, waiting for them to notice him. Sure enough, after about an hour and a half, he heard a scream. "What is that red-haired bastard doing here?" Came the same screaming voice he had had directed at him for six years of schooling. He grinned.

"Good old Hermione" he thought to himself, with a broad smile.

* * *

**Hermione's POV**

"What. The. HELL?" I screamed. "How dare he come here? I'm going to go kill him!"

I stormed out of the room and started down the stairs before I felt Harry's strong hand grab me by the arm.

"Its not going to do any good to kill him yet. He might not know we're in here. Voldemort probably has men watching anyplace he thinks we might be. If we kill him now, he'll know right where we are." He told me soothingly.

I was still angry.

"Can't I please kill him?" I begged Harry.

"Not yet, Hermione, not yet. For now, let's just wait and watch." He said, leading me by the arm back up the stairs to the window overlooking the street below.

* * *

**Ron's POV**

"I know you're in there Harry, Hermione!" I yelled up towards the window, keeping the grin plastered to my face. "I just heard Hermione scream. Bastard, am I?"

I was feeling a little restless, so I started to pace back and forth outside the house.

"Why don't you come outside so we can talk?" He called up to the window, knowing that Hermione wouldn't be able to stop herself from coming down to duel him.

* * *

**Hermione's POV**

"I'm going to kill him now!" I screamed, bolting down the stairs before Harry could catch me.

"Wait, Hermione, no! There could be Death Eaters out there! Stop, please!" I heard Harry's voice call as he pounded down the stairs after me.

"I don't care!" I yelled back, wrenching open the front door, and throwing myself out.

"Hello, Hermione." I heard a voice I hoped I would never hear ring out.

* * *

**End chapter 7**

**A/N: Yes, I changed from 3rd person to 1st person midway through a story. Deal with it. It was a weird experience for me - I've never written in first person before, and I kept feeling myself slip habitually back into third and have to go back to change it. So sorry about any of that I might not have caught. Also, sorry for any random periods after words - the period button on my phone keyboard is perilously close to the space.**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: This is me speed writing - I have ten minutes to get this story down on paper before I forget it. Its just a side story - it took place two days after Ron ambushed Harry and Hermione in the tent. Someone asked about the weasley family reaction - here it is!**

**Molly's POV - one week earlier. **

I was in the kitchen, making breakfast for my empty nest, just me and my husband when it happened. That owl flew through the window that would change everything.

I recognized Hedwig at once as Harry's owl. My first thought was to wonder what could possibly be so important as to break months of silence on Harrys part. Hopefully everyone was alright!

I untied the letter from the owls leg, opening it with trembling hands. It read:

"Dear Mr and Mrs Weasley.

I'm afraid we have some bad news about your son. As it happens, he has left us on our mission in a temper tantrum. I'm sorry to say that in a very rash act, the first thing Ron did was go to Voldemort. He is now a branded Death Eater. We thought we should let you know so if he shows up on your doorstep, you take appropriate caution. He is very unstable.

-Love from Harry and Hermione"

I stood in stunned silence for a moment. Ten seconds later, there was a knock on the door.

**Arthur's POV**

I heard the knock on the door as I was just finishing my morning cup of coffee and reading the newspaper.

I began towards the door, passing by the kitchen and wondering what had gotten into Molly. Oh well. It was probably nothing.

I continued to the door, and looked out the little peephole. You can imagine how shocked I was when I saw our youngest son standing on the other side.

"Son! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be traveling!"

"I'm stopping by for a visit. Ill let you know inside. Could you let me in?"

We exchanged security questions, and I opened the door, pulling my son into a hug. Little did I know the Mister he had become.

I led him into the sitting room, passing the kitchen where Molly had suddenly gone missing.

"So. What brings you back around here, Ron?"

"Well, actual-"

"RON!" Came my wife's shreik. "What are you d-doing here?" She stuttered at him.

"I just thought I'd drop by! There was actually something I wanted to ask you guys..." he sounded nervous, clearly wondering as I was, why Molly was standing looking almost scared in the doorway.

"Have you guys heard anything from Harry? We got seperated during a fight at the ministry, I'm having some trouble finding him again. I was hoping you guys might know where they're hiding out right now?"

"Sorry, Ronald, we" I began to tell him before a screamed spell filled the air with red light.

"Stupefy!" Molly had yelled

I jumped to my feet. "What did you do that for, Molly? He's our son! Are you feeling quite alright?"

" I'm fine Arthur, he's a Death Eater! I just got a letter from Harry."

"No, sweetheart, I checked him. He knew the answer to the question. He wasn't imperiused or polyjuiced. Here, hand me my wand and I'll wake him up" I told her,trying to sound calm.

"No, Arthur! He took the Mark! Check his arm!"

"That's ridiculous, Molly, this is our son you're talking about!"

She bent over, and I watched as she rolled up his shirtsleeve to reveal something I hoped I would never see. He had taken the Mark.

**Molly's POV**

"What are we going to do? We can't turn him over to the authorities, we just can't."I was really freaking out. My little baby had made theb biggest mistake that you could make. Evil over good.

"We wont, honey...we'll lock him up in his room, and we'll send word to Harry via patronus. He'll decide what to do."

"Alright" I said, trying to sound somewhat calm. "I'll go send him word. You make sure he's locked in his room proper." I was making plans. Plans always helped calm me down.

**One hour later.**

I heard a knock at the door. I hustled over there, checking to make sure it was Harry but not even bothering with the security question. Who could worry about that at a time like this?

"I'm so glad you're here, Harry, you've got to help us! What do we do with him?"

"I'm not sure yet. Let me take a look at him, where is he?" Right up the stairs here, I'll take you to him.

I led them up three flights of stairs, unlocked the door and pushed it open to reveal an empty room, filled with posters of a certain redhaired boys favourite team.

"He's gone!" I gasped.

"Yes, he is. You guys have to vacate. Contact Professor Mcgonagall, she'll have a safe house for you until we can make sure Ron can't get back into your house. Tell everyone else, too, that a death eater can get through their fidelius charms. I have to get back to our hiding spot now. Ron has surely already told Voldemort that I'm here, so I've got to be gone before he shows up. You two best be as well." He sounded so grown up. I was amazed by how much he had changed from the frightened little boy I helped back at platform nine and three quarters.

Harry walked out of the room, down the stairs and out the front door, pausing only to say goodbye to Arthur and then leaving without another word.

I ran down the stairs, gave a very hurried explanation, and then we disapparated together, me clutching his hand for support. After all, this had been the worst day of my life.

**A/N: That was rather badly written. Sorry. Oh well. **


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I'm not really sure what I'm writing right know I'm winging it. Please forgive me. Your ideas would welcome.

Hermione's POV

"Hello, Hermione."

My blood chilled. As I stood there, five fewer from the door in the chill of midwinter, wearing only my robe and pajamas, I realized what a huge mistake coming out here had been. I would be lucky if I made it out confrontation with my life. It would be stupid of Ron to come here without any backup at all. Granted, Ron was a dumbass. So pretty good odds, then.

We stared at each other for nearly a minute. He looked the same as he always did. Long, lanky, stupid. Standing across the street from me.

"What are you going to do, Hermione? Kill me? Try it."

"No." I told him, trying to repress the shaking in my voice.

"Where's your backup, coward? Why haven't I been stunned by your army of Death Eaters yet?" I shouted at him, keeping my distance across the street.

"No Death Eaters. I'm here alone. I'm not working for the Dark Lord, Hermione. I made a huge mistake. He's a terrible person, he kills for fun, he shows no remorse! It was that Horcrux acting on me, Hermione, I swear it."

"That's a load of rubbish. You're here on Voldemort's orders." I noticed that he didn't flinch as he used too when I said the dark wizards name.

"I'm not, Hermione, I swear it!"

"Right. STUPEFY!"

Ron simply ducked away, not rising to the challenge. I knew he would be dying to fight me, to rove that the big scary man cups beat a little girl like me easy. He had another thing coming.

"What, afraid to fight?" I shreiked at him, "Afraid you might lose to a girl?"

"I am NOT afraid!" He shouted back, still across the street from me. "I'm not going to hurt you. I want to come back with you guys. I miss my best mates."

"Forget it! REDUCTO!"

This one forced him to throw up a shield charm to sage himself. I wanted to hurt him so badly. It would be so easy...but no. I can't do that. I had to talk to Harry.

_**Harry's POV**_

I had been standing at the door watching Hernione's confrontation with Ron, just out of the gingers sight. I was going to go out there and yell at him myself, but I .would probably be best if he didn't know where I was, in case it came to a fight and I had too step in.

I stood there, lost in my thoughts, until Hermione abruptly turned and walked towards me.

"He wants to come back with us. I wanted to check with you before I told him to never show his face around here again." She told me, trying to keep her face emotionless and free of anger, trying to think about the situation logically.

"Are you sure you want to condemn him to that? Of its true that he deserted Voldemort, they will hunt him down and torture and kill him. Is that really what you want for him?" I wasn't sure what I wanted with him myself. But it wouldn't do for him to get killed without us deciding.

"Part of me wants to say yes, Harry. I wish I could say truthfully that I want the Death Eaters for him. But he's been our friend for years, even if he's turned into the biggest asshole in the world lately. What can we do?"

"We can keep him prisoner. Tie him up inthe study upstairs and leave him there until we decide about him. That's the only thing. We don't trust him enough to let him free into the house, but we don't hate him enough to let him run around and get killed by Voldemort."

"Altright, Harry...I guess that's our only option. Br first we have to subdue him."

"How about this...you walk outside and tell him we've decided he can stay with us for a time. I'll follow you out under the Invisibility Cloak, and after you lead him towards the door, I'll stun him. If somehow he turns around and blocks my spell, get his back. Sound good?"

"Alright, Harry, just don't let him see you..."

"Don't worry about me." I summoned the Invisibility Cloak into my hands and donned it. Hermione turned and open the door and walked briskly out, leaving the door open. I waited a few seconds, then followed.

_**Hermione's POV **_

I walked out the door, down the path, and stood face to face with Ron. He had crossed to our side of the street.

"You're lucky Harry has mercy for you. Follow me." I told him, turning on my heel and walking towards the door. I got halfway down the path to the door when I heard a swish and a curse, followed by a thud. I turned to see my ex-boyfriend in a lump on the floor. It suited him.

"All went to plan, then" Harry remarked, striding forward and kicking Ron's wand out of reach before bending down and picking it up. He pulled out his own and levitates Ron through the front door and up the stairs.

_**Harry's POV**_

As I levitated him up the stairs, I was thinking to myself. What was too stop Ron from pressing his Mark and summoning Voldemort? I'd have to ask Hermione on that one.

We reached the study where buckbeak had once been kept, the study where he had once seen Molly Weasley sobbing over a boggart two years ago. It seemed so long ago.

He propped Ron on the wall, and checked to make sure he still had the man's wand.

"What are we going to do with him now, Hermione?"

" Watch" she told me, and took out her wand. She began waving it. The window slammed shut, and then blacked itslef UT with what looked like spray paint. The curtains then drew themselves. She turned towards Ron and waved her wand again. Thick chains appeared around his body. That solved the Dark Mark thing. He couldn't move an inch.

"You couldn't settle for rope, we had to do chain?" I joked.

"You can never be too careful with convicts." She replied seriously. Lets go, I don't want to be here when he wakes up. And I want a hot cuppa."

Hermione and I walked out the door, And she turned to wave her wand at it. Suddenly it was locked and reinforced with steel bars.

"I did the same with the windows" she informed me.

We walked downstairs. That was that, problem solved for now.

_**A/N: I feel like that was an okay chapter. Review, guys. I promise - they motivate me to write more often. The minute I get five reviews for this chapter, real reviews, ill sit down and write another.**_

_**Pinky promise. **_


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Here's another chapter, I'm sorry I'm such a slowpoke. I had a nice little plot for the next few chapters in my head, but now its all gone...oh well. I should really write things down.**

**Hermione's POV**

Harry and I walked down the stairs to the kitchen where I quickly heated up a few cans of soup for dinner by magic. Usually I would go the whole way and do it in muggle fashion, but tonight my heart just wasn't in it.

I placed a bowl in front of him and sat down heavily across the table.

"What are we going to do about him, Harry?" I asked him, hoping that he would have more answers than I.

"Well...we can't exactly carry him around with us all wrapped in chains like that, ? He'd get in the way. We'll have to decide if we can trust him or not."

"I don't know, Harry...he deserted us. He took the Dark Mark. He told Voldemort where we were. Why the sudden change of heart, do you think?"

"I don't know...I just don't know...I wish there was a way to make sure the little git isn't just spying on us."

"Isn't there some spell you know, Hermione? There's got to be some way to magically bug somebody...do you know anything?"

"Actually, yes, Harry, I do! There's this perfect spell - it let's you listen to everything he says and everything people say to him. It'll tell us where he's been, too! Here, lets go put it on him before he waked up, so he doesn't know."

I left my half finished bowl of soup on the table to get cold and rushed upstairs to perform the spell on Ron, leaving Harry to his thoughts.

**Harry's POV**

I couldn't help but wonder exactly what Hermione felt for Ron. Lately there had been a...tension between Harry and Hermione. I hoped that would still be there with Ron back around. I had been thinking a lot about her lately. While I wasn't completely sure of my feelings toward her yet, i knew one thing - Ron was not right for her, and anyone presuming otherwise was clearly a few twigs short of a broomstick.

**A/N: I'm sorry this is so painfully short. I can't really make myself write anymore.**


	11. Chapter 11

_**Ron's POV**_

After I heard their footsteps - Hermione's light and dainty, Harry's loud and thudding - down the stairs, I knew it was time to make my move. Unbenounced to Harry and Hermione, I had hidden a second wand up my sleeve before I entered the house. It wasn't a particularly , but it would do in a pinch.

When Hermione chained me up, all I had to do was make sure my arms were pointing down, and gravity deliever the wand to my hand. I kept it hidden in the folds of my robe until the left, then grasped it to free myself from the chains.

My first move was to bug the house as best I could. I snuck silently around the house, placing magical bugs in every upstairs room, and even managed to get one in the hallway Harry or Hermione seeing me. These magical bugs were able to he listened to anytime later, from anywhere. Voldemort could be listening to them right now. It was a spell He himself taught me.

Next order of business - protect myself from Hermione. I drank a potion that would ward off Veritaserum for an hour and a half - that ought to be enough tonkeeonher off my back. I performed one last charm on myself to let me know if the girl put any sort of spell on me - just in case.

Settling back into my chains, I focused on step three of my plan. Convince Harry and Hermione of my innocence.

_**Hermione's POV**_

I snuck up the stairs quietly and stood in the hall outside Ron's door for a minute. I had to prepare myself for this. I couldn't let my previous feelings for Ron get in the how I deal with him right now. As angry as I was with him, I have to keep my cool in there, for the sake of the whole wizarding world.

I took a deep breath and walked into the criminal's room. I saw him sitting there in chains and felt no remorse. He looked so sad, with that pathetic puppy dog face that used to make me melt so quickly and so easily. I felt nothing.

I was the first to speak. I was setting the precedent, letting him know that we would be keeping things entirely formal.

"We don't know if we can trust you. I'm going to have to check a few things before we even consider what to do about you," I told him.

I walked behind the chair he sat in, pretending to get the bottle of Veritaserum, and silently cast the spell behind his back. Now we would be able to listen to everything he said, and he woold have no idea. I had him drink the Veritaserum, and asked him a few questions about the Dark Lord and his own ties, but got no real answers out of him. Oh well. Harry and i had figured that he would be trained the truth potion. The real work was to be done spell I had put on him.

_**A/N: There we go, you have aother chapter. I had more of a plan this time, and that went quite well. Keep in mind I'm writing this on a minuscule phone keyboard - please excuse any random periods. Whoever designed my phone decided that the period key should be gigantic and the spacebar on the left side. Grr. **_


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